Pest Control in Austin TX can protect your property from damage and help keep you and your family healthy. There are several factors to consider when choosing a company, including cost, qualifications and licensing, treatment methods and years of experience.
Cockroaches can lead to health problems and contaminate food. Bed bugs cause itchy welts and multiply quickly. Mosquitoes thrive in humid weather and spread disease-carrying pathogens like the West Nile virus.
Termites
Pest Control in Austin TX is responsible for billions of dollars in damage each year. These tiny pests are known as silent destroyers, eating away at the structural integrity of your home or business.
Unlike other insects, termites do not fly and are difficult to detect without the help of a professional. Some of the most common warning signs are mud tubes, hollow-sounding wood, and discarded wings.
Termite treatment methods vary depending on the type of infestation and the structure. Traditional soil treatments involve trenching and flooding the soil around critical areas, such as foundation walls. Other methods include termite bait stations, fumigation and wood destruction. If you’re unsure which option is best for your situation, ask the company how long it has been in business and read reviews.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are not just found in hotels and apartments — they can infest family homes, too. Because of this, periodic inspections are essential to catch a problem early.
These parasitic insects are less than a quarter of an inch long (about the size of an apple seed) and feed on blood at night while people sleep. Their bites can cause allergic reactions ranging from small red marks to ecthyma and impetigo, which require medical attention.
They get their name from where they like to hang out most — beds and other places people sleep, but they also inhabit upholstered furniture, behind picture frames, in curtain folds and behind electrical outlets. They are effective hitch-hikers and will spread throughout a home or business quickly.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are a nuisance pest that bite people and animals day or night. They have long proboscises for mouths to pierce skin and suck blood. Only female mosquitoes bite because they need a blood meal to produce eggs.
All mosquitoes spend their first stages of life as larvae and pupae in water. Then, they fly away to find their mates and lay eggs. They breed in places that have standing water, such as weeds, tall grasses and containers like flower pot saucers, birdbaths, toys and discarded tires.
Keep mosquitoes away by cleaning out and emptying any containers that hold water on your property. You should also fix leaking faucets and clean gutters. These preventive measures are important during peak pest season, March-September.
Africanized Honey Bees
In temperate areas, bees are mostly dormant in winter and early spring. But if their hives are disturbed, they may become aggressively defensive and sting humans who come too close. If you see a bee hive that looks active, it is best to call a pest management professional who is trained in dealing with them.
The most common types of bees in Austin are honey bees, bumblebees, and carpenter bees. These bees are essential for pollinating plants and crops. However, a bee infestation can also be caused by Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata), colloquially known as killer bees. They were accidentally released in Brazil in the 1950s, and they have mated with wild bee populations throughout the Americas. This has resulted in extremely aggressive offspring that can sting and chase people or animals in swarms.
Rats & Mice
Rats and mice can cause damage in a variety of ways. As scavengers, rodents eat almost anything they encounter and in the process contaminate food supplies, trash, and even water lines in homes and businesses.
These pests can chew through drywall, electrical wiring, insulation, and furniture. They also leave droppings that may aggravate asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems in humans and family pets.
Rats have one of the highest reproductive rates, allowing them to reproduce up to twelve babies per litter. They are able to fit through small holes, entering buildings through drains or vents, and can cause extensive property damage. Regular inspections and pest exclusion services can help prevent these pests from entering structures. Gnaw marks, droppings, and urine stains are classic signs of a rodent infestation.